Lies and Truth
by soulsearcher
Summary: Legolas will not accept the truth: that Aragorn has fallen from the cliff. What extent will his denial drive him to? R&R! *CHAPTER 2 UP*
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Insanity is the ultimate sadist's weapon. *laughs * This is short, but.I dunno. I don't know if it's very good, but TELL ME! R&R!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, and am not connected with Tolkien in any way. I am not making money off this story, and it will remain that way forever. SCREW THESE LEGAL LAWS!  
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"You lie." No, what this creature had said could not have been true. He would never believe it. This couldn't have happened.Aragorn was just talking with King Theoden somewhere. The foul creature merely laughed, and died with the elf's fair hand around its filthy neck. It was then that Legolas saw something shimmer in the orc's hand. He clawed the fingers open, and there the Evenstar necklace shone, in an ironic contrast to the orc's repulsive, grimy features.  
  
No.Legolas thought. He did not fall.he could not have.  
  
"I will not believe this!" he shouted aloud, and many turned to stare at the elf. He whirled around, stalking about like a cat stalking its prey. "This is some sort of sick joke. Do not try to fool me!"  
  
Gimli reached out, trying to comfort his friend, but the elf spun upon him ere the dwarf could so much as touch Legolas. "Why are you trying to trick me, Gimli?" A mad light flamed in the icy eyes, forbidding any to try and reason with him.  
  
This is not true.they are trying to trick me. Why are they doing this? I have done nothing wrong!  
  
Many of the young Riders of Rohan backed away, fearing the wrath of the woodland elf. But Gimli could see past the crazed light, and delved deep into the heart of his friend. He knows Aragorn is gone, he thought. But knowledge is a powerful menace. He will not believe it. Gimli had heard that elves could die of sorrow. He would not allow such to become of Legolas.  
  
"Legolas! The truth may be hard to accept, but must you truly deny it so much?" Gimli knew what it was like to loose a friend and loved one.and undoubtedly so did Legolas, with the long years of his life. But Aragorn and Legolas had been such close friends.  
  
"Nay, Gimli, this is no truth," the elf whispered. "Aragorn, do not play tricks on me! This is no time to jest! Stop this! Do not hide from me!" he shouted, looking frantically about him.  
  
A distance away, a young rider failed to stifle his laugh. He had heard that this elf was valiant and brave. For him to deny Aragorn's death with such ferocity contradicted everything he had heard.  
  
Suddenly, Legolas whirled upon the young man. "Do you think this is funny?" His voice wavered dangerously, his voice barely above a whisper, his face only inches away. "If this is indeed such a joke, tell me where he is hiding." The icy eyes bore hard into the boys', anger flaming with a crazed glow. Fear gripped its cold hand about the young ones heart. A mad light shone in the elf's eyes, and the young boy knew in terror that grief could drive the elf to dark extent.  
  
"H-he is n-not hiding, master elf," he stuttered.  
  
"No? Then tell me where he is!"  
  
The boy gulped, and tried to word his response as carefully as possible. "I-in the river.over the cliff." His voice trailed off as Legolas backed away, shock and realization written over his face.  
  
He staggered back towards the cliff, and peered over the edge.  
  
"It's true, isn't it Gimli." he mumbled.  
  
Gimli approached his friend, his footsteps heavy with sorrow. "Aye, my friend. I am afraid so."  
  
Legolas turned from the cliff, and fell to his knees. He is gone. Tears streamed down his face as he collapsed. Now, he did not care for his pride. Nothing mattered. Aragorn was gone.  
  
"Must death christen every occasion.?" he muttered through his sobs. "Is this what this world has come to? What is life, when everything dear to one must meet its end?" Gimli stared down into his friends' eyes, now so dim of the sparkling light once glittered there. Darkness seemed to grow about the elf, heavy with sorrow and hopelessness.  
  
Gimli crouched alongside his friend. "But it is better to have known that love and loose it, than to have never known it at all."  
  
Legolas thought for a moment. Truth there was in Gimli's words. Yet the dwarf would never understand the pain of the elf. To live forever, and watch everything he ever loved wither in age, or fall in war. And now his dearest friend, fallen in a battle that was not even his own.  
  
Aragorn was gone.and in later years, Gimli too would die. One day, Legolas would pass into the undying lands.but this world would be left to the tears of death, and blood of its victims. And one day, it would fall.either under some new, wicked evil, or by it's own ways, it would fall. And ever would Legolas live on in regret and remembrance, in a land where memories littered perfection, and blurred happiness.  
  
"What is life, dear friend, if love will always loose to sorrow, and sorrow then to death? What has this world come to.where rivers run in tears, and stars are dimmed in mourning? Too many will die in this war.more than I wish to see. This life is no longer worth living. For some day, all shall fade into demise.and here I shall ever linger."  
  
"Legolas." But as Gimli looked down, he perceived what he had feared. Legolas' eyes were vacant, but for the glitter of lifeless tears. His fair flesh drained of its colour, and eyes staring with dead sight at the dwarf. No breath escaped the pale lips. He did not look peacefully resting. he was just.dead.withered in sorrow.  
  
Both of them, in less than an hour.  
  
"Fare thee well, dear friend."  
  
And Gimli hung his head, and wept.  
  
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A/N: So, what do you think? That's the end, unless I get some screwy, crazy idea to..HEY! *GASP * Alright, it's NOT the end. I HAVE AN IDEA! But first you must tell me.. more death, slash, or just plain angst? Which would you prefer? All? One or two? Tell me, and I will mould the next chapter!  
  
TBC  
  
~Searcher of Souls~ 


	2. He left too soon

A/N: Sorry it took me forever to upload, dudes! I've been kind of busy lately. So, yes, this is the last chapter. I don't think I will write more. Unless the demand is unreasonably high. But yes. This chapter starts out kind of lame. I wasn't in the zone, but near the end, it gets better. Trust me. Go ahead and flame, I don't care, it will be used to roast mushrooms. But please, DO REVIEW!  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not Tolkien, I do not own any characters or places, and I am making no money off this work. Don't sue me.  
  
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Gimli held the limp elven body tightly about the waist, though severely wishing he could grasp the horse more tightly. When he had ridden with Legolas, he couldn't have felt safer. The elf seemed to have talked to the horse in his tongue, calming it when it was afraid, and telling it to run at a seconds notice. But Gimli knew no elvish, and he did not trust the animals in the first place.  
  
The dwarf was helpless to stop himself from weeping. Tears silently rolled down his cheeks, draining through his beard. He had lost two of them. Within the space of not even an hour, both were gone. Forever. Now the Fellowship was truly broken. Without the expert tracking skills of Aragorn or Legolas, he would never be able to find Merry and Pippin. He was alone now.  
  
At last, they came to the fortress of Helms Deep. They made their way through the clusters of peasants. When they came to a halt, Gimli saw Eowyn. She was troubled.  
  
"So. . .so few of you have returned," she was saying to her father. Yet she meant more than that. She feared one in particular might not have returned.  
  
Theoden dismounted his horse. "Our people our safe." He dodged the question, and started away.  
  
Eowyn turned to see Gimli before her. A sadness lingered about him, and he held his helmet in his gloved hands.  
  
"Where is lord Aragorn?" she asked eagerly, though her eyes betrayed her, showing her nervousness. "And the elf?"  
  
Gimli was surprised she did not know Legolas' name. He pondered a moment how to answer the maiden. But ere he spoke, Eowyn had guessed the reply she had dreaded.  
  
"They are gone."  
  
Shock took a hold of Eowyn. She trembled, and looked to her father, her distressed eyes crying out "how could you let this happen?" But not a glimmer of emotion was there in the king's eyes, and he turned away. The maiden looked back to where Gimli had been, and saw him leading away the horse Arod, with a fair, lifeless elf slung across it's back, his eyes glazed and empty.  
  
Eowyn had admired the elf. She was ashamed that she did not even know his name, but still, she thought no less of him. He stood tall and proud, and moved gracefully. Something about him comforted her. He was strong, and from what she had heard, was a mighty warrior.  
  
Was.  
  
She had been drawn to Aragorn, by some unseen force. He was valiant, and pure hearted. A true leader, with respect for even the lowliest of persons.  
  
And now neither would see the dawn of victory in this battle. . .let alone this war.  
  
* * *  
  
Whispers drifted about Helms Deep; some of curious men, and some of suspicious nature. And unrest lay heavy on the people of Rohan, for a reason unknown.  
  
Gimli too felt this. He wandered about the great halls and corridors restlessly, waiting for something to happen. Nothing presented itself to him. There was nothing to think about, nothing to act upon. So his mind helplessly focused upon loss.  
  
What will I do now? Gimli wondered in despair. He had only ever followed Aragorn and Gandalf. Now, there seemed little left he could do. He could try and hunt down Merry and Pippin, but Gandalf had said they "met someone they did not expect", and he had said it as if it were a good thing. Gimli knew Aragorn had wished to go to Gondor, yet what good would a dwarf do there? He had no knowledge of Aragorn's plans, and there was no "Isildur's heir" any longer. The people of Minas Tirith would not pay heed to a dwarf.  
  
Cries and gasps of. . .of what, Gimli could not know, but there seemed no fear or sorrow within the voices. He followed them, descending stairs and following winding paths, until at last he found his way blocked by a large crowd.  
  
He tapped a young boy on the shoulder. "What are they looking at?"  
  
The child looked up, excitement glittering in his innocent eyes. "Lord Aragorn has returned!"  
  
What? He lives? That . . . that cannot be!  
  
Yet even as he thought these words, he heard faintly a woman crying out "He is back!" And that was enough proof for him.  
  
"Where is he? Where is he? Get out of my way! I'm gonna kill him!" Unexpectedly, he broke through the crowd, and what he saw nearly knocked him from his sturdy feet.  
  
There stood Aragorn, alive as could be, though scratched up as usual. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, the most reckless man I ever knew!" He rushed up and drew the man into a thankful embrace. I am not alone anymore, he thought. "Bless you, laddie!"  
  
Aragorn patted the dwarf on the shoulder. "Where is the king?"  
  
Gimli hesitated. He would have to know sooner or later. "Let me talk to you first." All joy had drained from his face and words, and the grim sounding voice drew Aragorn to know the dwarf spoke of importance. Wordlessly, Gimli lead Aragorn away from the mob, and to a quiet corner of the stronghold.  
  
"Aragorn. . . " Gimli paused. He could feel the tears threatening to overflow his eyes. "You know elves can die of grief?"  
  
Aragorn nodded. He stared intensely at the dwarf, hearing the strained anguish in his voice.  
  
"After you. . . Well, after you fell, Legolas, he . . . he . . ." He was cut off when Aragorn placed his hand gently. Gimli twisted his head, only to see Aragorn covering his face with his hand. The man rose from where he had been sitting, and trudged slowly away.  
  
Torrents of salty tears streaked his rugged face. He had lost Arwen already.and now Legolas?  
  
"What is this? WHY DO THEY ALL LEAVE?!" He cried out, slamming his fist against the solid rock wall in rage.  
  
How he had wanted to weep when Arwen had left, yet he could not find the courage to. But now. . . now both his lover and dearest friend were gone.  
  
Now he could cry.  
  
"Why did you have to leave, Legolas?" he whimpered. By now he had wandered outside of Helms Deep. "I am back now . . . you can come back now, Legolas . . .please, return to me . . . "  
  
All strength left his body, as he collapsed to his knees, and sacrificed every ounce of his being into his tears.  
  
What he did not realize was that he had fallen upon Legolas' grave. 


End file.
